


Mutants of Detroit

by GreenDevilSam, MistressMarishka



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mutants, Blood and Violence, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, X-Men Inspired
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-05-16 08:01:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19313989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenDevilSam/pseuds/GreenDevilSam, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressMarishka/pseuds/MistressMarishka
Summary: The characters of Detroit Become Human in an X-men inspired universe, chaos will ensue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read and edited by [GreenDevilSam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenDevilSam/profile)

It didn't matter how far away he ran, didn't matter how much he believed it was just a terrible nightmare. The massacre. He had to call it what it was. He kept telling himself it was an accident. It wasn't his fault, he didn't ask for this. He never wanted powers, that's what the humans called it. Some called them the children of the devil. It was dark magic, they would say. 

It was freezing outside. Bitter cold, blizzard like conditions in the forecast. Connor was sure it was below freezing now, but he was used to this, or rather, he had to get used to it. There was no where he could go. Foster home to foster home, and now homeless. This was better, he'd tell himself. There was a far lower chance of him hurting someone if he was by himself. 

He eventually met some kind, homeless people surviving off of scraps under a bridge, but they didn't know him, the real him. They didn't ask for a backstory, they shared what little they had with him, offered him a place to sleep around the barrel fire. Connor was grateful, he hadn't felt this sort of kindness in so long he didn't know how to feel about it truthfully.

That same night he was awakened by cop car sirens and his chocolate brown eyes shot open. There was some yelling, followed by what he could guess was fighting. The man that had shared his can of beans with him had mentioned something about the cops heckling the homeless, destroying their tiny shelters and accusing them of using drugs. Whether or not they were using drugs didn't give them the right to push them around. He stood quickly, trying to shake off the frost from his legs. 

Connor walked around the corner and saw that the cops were indeed shoving some of the people he had met under the bridge. He scowled at seeing a police officer shove a pregnant lady to the ground. This was getting out of hand and he wouldn't stand for it. Connor approached and used his ability to stop the police from attacking. The officer's eyes widened as he lost control over his body. The homeless looked on in shock and as Connor tilted his head a bit, the officer was sent flying across the street. He hit a nearby light post with a sickening crack. The officer's partner turned after being horrified in seeing the man fly like a piece of paper in the wind. Connor wasn't fazed when he was suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun. It wasn't the first time he had faced one. Yells rang out when the officer opened fire. Connor didn't even flinch, the bullets stopped like they were frozen in time.

"You fucking freak!" The officer shouted, he quickly retreated to the car, taking off without his partner. The man across the street was still trying to get up himself. Connor watched the bullets fall to the ground, making little holes in the snow. He walked over to help the pregnant lady up, but she seemed afraid. That look in her eye made Connor recoil away from her. 

"Hey, that was pretty cool. Thank you," she told him with a smile. He definitely wasn't expecting her to thank him, he thought she would've been like everyone else, that they'd run and hide in his presence. Connor nodded, he would've returned the gesture had it not been for the scarf covering his face. Connor then helped the man who gave him food to his feet. 

"You're one of those mutants. I heard so much about them from the people walking by, you know?" he told him, leading Connor back into their little shelter. "They talk so awful about you all, I'm glad you were here." 

A while after that, a blizzard came through. Because of it, news spread about some buses driving around town picking up homeless and bringing them to nearby recreation centers, stadiums and shelters until the storm passed. Connor wanted to go with the people he met, but he was still plagued by the incident from before. He didn't want to put these lovely people in danger, not after the kindness they showed him, and it hurt Connor to turn away from them.

Connor would have to find somewhere else to go, somewhere he could be alone. As he walked the streets, he passed by very few people, all trying to get home in the beginning of the storm. 

"....that weird institute is taking in more of those freaks. It's a school for them." Connor heard someone talking as he stopped to look at an abandoned building. The Institute, that's the fifth time he's heard about it. Supposedly, there was a school for mutants, and the headmaster called it a refuge for people like him. Connor didn't know how true that was, but maybe it was a sign for him to be there. The headmaster mentioned that a lot of mutants were scared and alone and that this was a place where they could learn about their abilities and live peacefully. Apparently it was government run too. Of course they would pour money into a place where they could keep an eye on all the 'freaks' in the world. Connor didn't even know where the place was located. Would it even be safe to go there after what he had done? There were no survivors, no witnesses…

No one knew he had done it, but he had to live with knowing about it for the rest of his life. Connor knew it would be best to not even bring it up. Even the government chose to cover it up, calling it a terrorist attack by an unknown group of people. Blaming it on the mutants would only start a war. 

Connor stopped walking as he nearly crashed into a pole with how deep in his thoughts he'd been. Perhaps it was a sign; Connor would have to rethink his decision. On that very pole were flyers about the Institute, he grabbed one before they all flew off because of the wind and tucked it into his pocket. Connor then decided to turn back and go into the abandoned building he had seen. 

The weather had gotten worse, near blinding snowfall and heavy wind. Connor fought his way up the steps through it all and was surprised to find that the door wasn't locked. From the looks of it, it seemed someone had been there before. There was a metal barrel set up in the center of the main room and what looked like a sleeping area close by. Connor took out a box of matches from his pocket and lit the wood and paper that filled the barrel. The flames reflected off of Connor's eyes, turning his pupils a light amber. This would at least keep him warm through the night, he hoped. The windows were still intact so he didn't have to worry about the howling wind outside. Soon he found himself getting exhausted, probably from the lack of eating properly. Resting would only make him hungrier, but he had no choice. There was nowhere he could go in this storm. He laid down by the fire and quickly fell asleep. 

 

Connor stirred awake later in the night, shivering, the bitter cold getting to him. His layers weren’t enough for the freezing temperature. 

“Don’t be afraid,” a voice woke him with a jolt. Connor sat up quickly, breathing heavy, eyes widened. He looked around in the dark as if his eyes could adjust to see properly, but there was nothing but black. He shivered violently, adrenaline settling down and he became aware of the cold again. It took him a moment to recover before he stood. 

Connor retrieved his last match and restarted the fire. It wasn’t as strong as it was before, so he would have to find something to keep it alive. Connor held his hand out towards the floor where the boards were worn and broken and used his power to lift them from their place with his mind alone. His fist closed and the wood was crushed into big chunks. He then maneuvered them into the fire and waited for them to ignite. For once his powers were worth having, he supposed. Connor didn’t have the strength to lift those floorboards on his own. Now that the fire was burning well, he had to think about that voice. He hadn’t heard anything talk to him before. 

“I only want to help.”

It definitely wasn’t anyone in the room with him and he didn’t hear anyone come in. Connor sat back down on the floor and closed his eyes. Whomever it was, they were directly communicating with him. Only a mutant could do that, he was sure. 

“Who are you?” Connor asked back, he wasn’t even sure if he was doing it right. 

“A friend, hopefully. If you are willing to hear me out.” Connor wasn’t sure what to do, but perhaps he could at least listen. This was not a human, one that would judge him because he was different. He didn’t know if other mutants were like humans; so far he had not run into anyone with powers like his. He believed all mutants were unique, even though he had only seen his own powers as a curse. Perhaps he should be grateful he had his abilities, they did keep him safe sometimes.

“I’m listening.”

“You may have heard of me. I am the headmaster for the Manfred Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach. You’re probably wondering how I knew about your existence. Those like us, not just mutants, but those with the ability to use telekinesis, telepathy and other forms of ESP, we can...sense each other’s power. Almost like a tingling in the back of our minds.” 

Connor had felt this before. He thought it was just him thinking his powers were about to go haywire again. But now that Mr. Manfred mentioned it, he had felt something similar to what he was talking about. 

"I'm assuming you want me to attend your institute." Connor figured the other might know about the incident if he could sense his power. "I...I don't want to hurt anyone else..." His eyes started prickling, the beginning of tears. "I didn't mean to...I didn't..." Connor added, curling up and lying down. 

"Connor...there are some just like you who were incapable of controlling their abilities and they've hurt someone. You're not alone. I only wish to help you." Connor quickly wiped his eyes, he didn't want his tears frozen on his face. 

"Others...they've hurt people too?" he questioned. 

It took a moment for Mr. Manfred to reply. "Yes, I am one of them." 

Connor wasn't sure how to feel. He had been alone for so long, he didn't know what it meant to talk to someone, especially someone who understood what he was going through. "I...I will be there," Connor said. He turned and sat up, looking out of a cracked window. The blizzard wasn't as strong as it was before, it was almost as if it had calmed down. 

"I will not have you traveling in this weather. There is a car waiting outside for you. One of my close friends and a professor here at the institute will bring you in. It is far too cold to stay there." 

Connor noticed that the wind that had been blowing wildly before had now stopped altogether. There was a knock on the door and it made him jump, a bit startled. He got up and walked down the hall towards the entrance. Slowly, he opened the door and saw a woman standing there with a gentle smile. She wore a black suit, hair white as the snow and her eyes...Connor watched as they went from pearl white to brown. 

"Hello, Connor, I am Rose. Mr. Manfred sent me to pick you up," she said, then held out her hand. Connor was sure he was in shock. He felt that power, the weather had been controlled. He hadn't really known of another mutant like her. Sure there were some who had super strength, could control fire, ice, but the weather…Connor shook her hand and her smile grew. 

"Come on, let's get you out of this cold," Rose told him, gesturing to the car. He had thought it would be hard to drive in these conditions, but there the car was. Connor got in the passenger side, Rose in the driver's seat. He immediately relaxed when the warmth of the car started to thaw him. He sighed softly. Rose pressed a button on the car and it jerked quickly. Suddenly they were airborne, the velocity forcing Connor back in his seat, a bit worried. He looked down when he felt something wrap him across his chest. The seatbelt, it had buckled itself. 

The car-plane-vehicle thing took off through the air. Connor glanced out the window, watching the buildings go by rapidly. 

"I hope this didn't startle you too much," Rose spoke, breaking the silence. Connor turned to look at her. He shook his head, even though his heart was pounding in his chest. He was sure it was because of his anxiety. 

Before he knew it, Rose was landing the plane-car and the seatbelt released him. She got out and walked over to his side, opening the door for him. 

"Careful sweetheart, first time in the Blackbird always makes people nauseous and/or they get all wobbly in the legs," Rose warned, though she still had a smile on her face. Connor nodded and got out slowly. Thankfully, he was okay once he stood up. Now he could get a good look at the campus. Connor was blown away at how large it was, he was sure it was bigger than any school he'd been too. 

To him, it didn’t exactly seem like an institute, perhaps a manor of sorts with a lot of rooms. Maybe that was the purpose. Somehow, the place seemed familiar, though Connor was sure he had not been here before. Where they landed was not in the photos he had seen...could it have been in a dream? Or maybe it was Mr. Manfred who was trying to lead him there. He did say he was trying to help.

"Connor." He heard that voice, the one that had been talking to him. Connor turned and was met with three people, two standing behind an older man in a wheelchair. He had a relieved look on his face when Connor finally saw him. Mr. Manfred wasn’t exactly what he expected, he thought he’d be looking for this big man in a long coat or suit or something. He seemed down to earth, a free spirit and judging from the tattoos on his arms; an artist. That would’ve been his guess. This man wasn’t a comic book character, which is exactly where Connor’s brain went.

He was still a bit confused about how they could be the same, how could they when he couldn’t fully control his powers. Connor felt immense power coming from the man in the chair. He wasn’t sure how or why, he just did. Usually he could tell whether or not someone had abilities, but him…he was far more powerful than anything he’d felt before. 

“These are my sons, Markus and Leo, and I’m sure you already know Rose. She’s one of the professors here as well as one of my closest friends,” Mr. Manfred explained. Connor’s eyes fell on the two men standing behind him. One had some strange mechanical piece across his eyes and the other seemed...pretty normal from what he could tell, though he knew they were mutants as well. 

“Nice to meet you all, thank you for taking me in,” Connor replied. Before he had the chance to say more, one of Mr. Manfred’s sons spoke. 

“Let’s continue this conversation inside, we’ll get some food prepared in the meantime.” 

They all agreed, Rose had to return to her duties so Connor walked beside Mr. Manfred. As he led him down the long hallways of the institute, Connor became more certain that this hadn’t always been an institute. 

“I have been trying to contact you for months, ever since that incident. You were walled off and I couldn’t get to you, however,” Mr. Manfred spoke. “We feared the worst for the mutant responsible. That’s why when he found out it was you, we wanted you to be here where it’s safe.” They stopped by two large doors that opened with Mr. Manfred's powers and they strolled in. The people walking by spoke to Connor, saying hello, hi, and good evening. He felt at least some comfort here for sure. 

They ended up in the dining area, where Mr. Manfred found a place for them to talk. He gestured for Connor to sit and he sat down, still looking around a bit. The dining area was like being in a fancy restaurant. He glanced up at the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the amazing portraits of people he didn’t recognize on the walls. One person was familiar though, it was a painting of Mr. Manfred and a beautiful woman, exquisite artwork. Connor was far more curious about who made them, but they had more important things to talk about now. Though, he noted, that Mr. Manfred was standing in the painting, which meant that whatever happened to him was more recent.

“Rose volunteered to go and get you. She said my sons would scare you off. She can control the weather, if you haven’t figured that out yet. My eldest son, Markus, I adopted him when he was just a teenager.” Mr. Manfred paused to sigh. “Thrown out by his own family because he was born with powers. Thankfully, they brought him here. My own son and him grew up like brothers. That’s when I decided to adopt him. He’s able to create things using psionic energy...a very unique ability. Seems he was using it at home and at school against bullies. He hurt people, but only in his defense.”

Connor found that to be fascinating, and his look of awe had to be obvious because Mr. Manfred smiled at him. 

“Leo was another story, he developed his ability after he turned three. We still aren’t sure if he was born with it though. His eyes, they produce an intense blast and he can’t control where or how powerful those blasts are. His mother, unfortunately, was the one he harmed. The boy didn’t know...there was no way for him to know...he was just a boy…” Mr. Manfred seemed to have a hard time telling him this story.

Connor understood this, he harmed people as well. He didn’t mean to; he felt guilty and he could imagine how hard it was on Leo, killing his own mother on accident. Mr. Manfred didn’t go into detail about the incident, he couldn’t imagine how it felt being there.

“Thank you. For telling me this and for bringing me in. I understand why you wanted me to be here now. I don’t know how to thank you, other than saying it.” Connor thought about what Mr. Manfred mentioned earlier to him. He told Connor that he had hurt people too, he wanted to know his story but maybe now wasn’t the best time to ask. 

Mr. Manfred gave Connor a pat on his shoulder. “We’re glad to have you here. You’ll be given your own room. We have classes here you can take. We’re a family, I want you to know that.” 

Connor and Mr. Manfred spoke for a long time before his sons returned and they all had dinner. He felt better about being there, especially after Mr. Manfred told him to talk to him if at anytime he felt as if his grip on his powers was weakening. He would be able to help. 

“This is your room, Connor. Dad says he’ll help you sign up for classes in the morning, but for now he wants you to get some rest,” Leo said, handing Connor a key. He took it and stepped into his room. 

Connor was surprised at how large the room was, he even had his own bathroom and there was a nice sized bed; it was almost like getting a hotel room for free. He turned to face Leo and noticed he couldn’t tell where the other was looking with that piece of metal over his eyes. “Thank you, goodnight.” 

Leo nodded. “Goodnight, Connor,” he said with a smile before closing the door. Connor flipped the light on and locked his door. He now saw what Mr. Manfred meant about taking care of the mutants. He wished he knew how many were there already, he even wondered if he could make any friends. 

As much as he wanted to take a hot shower, his exhaustion had begun to kick in again. Connor had eaten far more than he had before, going days without a meal was the worst. He plopped down on his bed, sinking into the pillow with a small grin, and Connor was out like a light.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The characters of Detroit Become Human in an X-men inspired universe, chaos will ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read and edited by [GreenDevilSam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenDevilSam/profile)

The morning was lovely, the bright sun shining on the fresh snow making it shimmer beautifully. Sunlight beamed into Connor’s room through the gaps in the window curtains, giving enough illumination to see clearly, and lit up his prone form, still fully dressed from the day before. He groaned softly. He didn't have plans to get out of the comfy bed, but the light was beginning to annoy him. Connor opened one eye, slightly confused about his surroundings before everything came flooding back from last night.

Slowly, he peeled himself off of the pillow. Connor sat up and yawned audibly as he ran a hand through his bedraggled hair. He sat in the silence of the room, enjoying how comfortable it was for a moment. Connor then decided it would be best to get up and get himself cleaned up, sure he had a stench at this point. 

Once he was on his feet, Connor stretched, feeling his bones make that satisfying cracking sound. He made his way over to the dresser across the room and stripped out of his clothes then folded them neatly. He put them in a drawer--they’d have to be cleaned at some point--and headed to the shower. Connor turned on the hot water and smiled a bit when it was at the perfect temperature. 

The Institute already had the bathroom stocked with essentials like soap and shampoo. Connor took his time letting the steamy water run over his body; it felt heavenly. He got cleaned up and stepped out. He wrapped a towel loosely around his waist and used another to dry his hair. Connor placed a hand on the foggy mirror and wiped a clear trail for him to see himself. He gasped softly, he looked absolutely horrid. Dark bags under his eyes, his skin far more pale than before. “Damn it…” he cursed under his breath. 

Connor ran his hand through his hair, attempting to manage it a bit before he dried off. Once he padded his way back into his room it hit him. He realized he had no clean clothes to change into. It wouldn’t make sense to put his dirty clothes back on after he’d gotten clean. Another loud gasp escaped his mouth when he heard knocking at his door. Connor, who was still wearing only a towel, somewhat panicked. He slowly made his way to the door, but before he could ask who it was the person spoke. 

“Hey Connor, Dad mentioned bringing you clothes.” He knew that voice, it was Markus. 

He wasn’t exactly sure how Mr. Manfred knew Connor was awake, but it was perfect timing. Connor cracked the door and smiled sheepishly, trying to hide the rest of his body behind the door. Markus noticed and returned the smile with a little laugh. 

“Sorry, we should’ve brought these last night. Come to the dining hall once you’re done for breakfast,” he told him, handing over the neatly folded clothes. Connor nodded, reaching to take the items from him. 

“No problem, thank you. I’ll be right down,” he replied. Markus simply nodded, waving as he walked away, giving him his privacy again. Connor shut the door and locked it. He took the clothes and changed. Markus had brought him a nice white button up and jeans. He supposed they guessed his size and they were spot on. Connor adjusted his shirt, making sure there weren’t any wrinkles in it. He took one more look in the mirror, sighing at his exhausted look. Connor grabbed his key and headed to the door, locking it behind himself as he stepped out, and made his way to the dining hall. 

Connor walked down the halls, exchanging pleasantries with everyone who spoke to him. They all seemed so nice, almost as if they knew him. It was definitely comforting and welcoming. 

Once he got to the dining hall, he spotted Mr. Manfred, his sons, and Rose sitting together, and a few other faces he didn’t recognize around the tables nearby.

“No need to stand there like a stranger, come join us,” Mr. Manfred’s voice said in his mind. He knew because they could sense each other with their similar ability. He’d make sure to ask him more about that later. Connor walked over, clearing his throat a bit so that he wouldn’t still have the raspy morning voice. 

“Good Morning, Connor. You look so tired, sweetheart,” Rose spoke first, looking worriedly at him. “I hope you slept well, dear,” she said, gesturing for him to sit and Connor obliged. Rose seemed like a concerned mother towards him. 

Connor sat down, placing his hands on his knees nervously. “Good morning,” he replied. “I slept well, I just… haven’t done so in the last few months,” Connor explained. Once he began to feel all of their eyes on him, he lowered his gaze to the table, feeling a bit fidgety. 

Leo shook his head. “It’s alright, Connor,” he told him with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I’m sure Dad has told you that most of the people here have similar stories like yours. That’s why my Dad started this program. He wants us all to try and recover from what we’ve been through and have a good life.” 

Connor suddenly felt like crying. He was lucky, being able to hold back. 

They had a brief discussion about what was on the menu for breakfast. Connor told them what he wanted and they talked a bit while they ate. He was in the process of trying not to devour everything in front of him, but it was so good. 

“Enrolling in classes is completely optional. Some here actually work as professors or perform other jobs we have available.” Mr. Manfred was about to continue when they heard some commotion near the entrance of the dining hall. Connor turned to see two people in an argument, but he couldn’t quite hear what they were saying as they were both yelling at the same time. 

Leo and Markus quickly got up and ran over to diffuse the situation. Before they could get to them, however, the one with a broom in hand stuck his tongue out. Connor’s eyes widened as he realized the man’s skin was slippery looking and green. Tiny little horns protruded from his forehead. This tongue of his was elongated and it wrapped around the other’s wrist. He tugged, attempting to pull the other towards him. The man whose arm was trapped with the saliva covered appendage, raised his free hand. Connor was stunned when he saw sharp metal pikes slip out of his skin. He only got a glimpse before they were used to slice the muscle trapping the man's arm. Connor grimaced at the violence as green blood stained the floor. 

The man with part of his tongue on the floor wailed loudly, alerting the rest of the room's occupants who decided to flee or move away from the fight. Connor watched as Mr. Manfred shook his head, though what surprised Connor the most was that though he seemed concerned, he didn't seem very worried. 

Markus and Leo finally managed to pull the two fighters apart. “Solitary for both of you,” Markus said, holding the one with the metal claws still. He was fighting in the grip and Marcus nearly lost him. Marcus had had enough. Connor suddenly felt a tingling in his fingers and he wasn’t sure what that feeling was until he saw Markus aim his hands at the man he was wrestling. He let him go and watched as he fell face first to the carpet. Seemed Markus had used his psionic energy to make a binding for his wrists. Even though the man continued to struggle, it was useless; he couldn’t do anything. 

Mr. Manfred was watching, amused now, which somewhat made Connor feel mortified. He thought this was a safe school. 

“I’ve had enough of you two always fighting. Why can't you both just ignore each other?” Leo spoke, letting Markus restrain the tongue man as well. The man with the tongue all of a sudden went for his opponent again, his tongue restored. Connor was confused as he saw the appendage. It seemed he had some sort of healing ability. Leo turned, catching the action, and pressed a button on his eye protector and shot a small optic beam at the tongue. The man screamed, reeling his tongue back into his mouth. 

“You both act like children all the time,” Markus angrily said. “I’m most disappointed in you, Collin. You were supposed to be working on your behavior. Gavin, you were supposed to be working on not fighting.” He pinched the bridge between his eyes. 

Mr. Manfred let out a laugh as he wheeled over to them. “I have a better idea. Leave them restrained and place them in the same room. Make them face each other and cover their mouths. They’ll have to stare at each other until they come to their senses.” He smirked a bit, seeing the horror in their eyes. “That will be fun,” he added. His sons agreed. Connor could now see that this was a recurring issue. The two must hate each other. He assumed that all the mutants would be like family, but it seemed Mr. Manfred didn’t have the chance to tell him he had problematic mutants there as well.

“Sorry you had to see that, Connor,” Rose spoke from beside him. He turned to see her taking a sip from her coffee. It seemed she was more concerned than anyone else. “They’re the only ones causing trouble here. Every now and then we find out or catch them fighting, but we can’t just kick them out, we would feel terrible if anything happened to them,” Rose explained with a sigh. “The best we can do is either separate them or put them in solitary.” 

Connor raised a brow. “What is solitary?” he asked. 

“It’s not exactly solitary. We call it that when some of the students act like that. They get sent to rooms in the basement, like a jail. We’re not animals; we keep an eye on them and make sure they eat,” Rose explained. “Mr. Manfred would never throw them out… it’s not in him to give up on his family,” she said in a softer tone. They were serious about them being a family. It meant a lot to them, he noticed. Though, now he could tell that Mr. Manfred was a bit of a rebel, enjoying them two fighting like that.

“I see. What kind of abilities do they have?” Connor asked, recalling what he noticed as he watched Mr. Manfred follow his sons out of the dining hall, dragging the fighting duo away. 

Rose sighed a bit and pushed Connor's plate closer to him with a smile. “Eat and I’ll explain,” she told him. “Collin is the one who sliced our janitor’s tongue off. Thankfully, Gavin has a fast regenerative ability. Collin has an adamantium covered skeleton and he’s able to push his bones out and use them as a weapon. He has a quick healing ability as well.” Connor was surprised by how he was able to use his bones like that; he was sure it must hurt. 

“We hired Gavin as our janitor. He was a former detective before the humans decided they didn’t want us working beside them. He practically begged us, in his own way, for employment. Gavin, despite his appearance, has some unique abilities. Besides his uh, tongue, he’s basically a toad. He can stick to walls, jump high, things like that,” Rose told him with a little laugh. Connor found it to be humorous as well--the man was a toadoid… toadman. He had just finished up his breakfast when Mr. Manfred returned. He rejoined them at the table and apologized for having to leave so suddenly. 

As they continued to eat, Connor began to wonder about what he had been told earlier, almost like his intuition was pulling him toward a certain thing. He was interested in being a professor. He wasn’t sure how that would go, but if he could be anything like Rose, it would be worth it. “How can I become a professor here?” he asked. Rose eyed Mr. Manfred as he looked at Connor. 

“We have classes you can take for that. I’ll contact Mr. Anderson so you can have a talk with him about it, if that’s what you want to do,” Mr. Manfred told him. “There are more like you who want to be educators for the institute. I think you’ll do well.” His manner was encouraging and it helped Connor make this decision. He went on to tell them he had gone to college, but hadn't been sure what he had wanted to study. He had eventually dropped out and ended up on the street after that and the incident occured, though he didn’t want to get into that at the moment. 

After breakfast, Connor headed to the principal’s office. In the back of his mind, he wondered how the fighters from earlier were doing and more so why they hated each other. They stayed in his thoughts until he reached his destination. He found Mr. Anderson’s office fairly easily, especially with his name on the door. It was slightly ajar, but Connor used his manners and knocked first. Mr. Manfred had told Mr. Anderson to be expecting Connor. He would be able to guide Connor and help him figure out what classes he should take and what subject he wanted to teach. 

“Come in,” a voice spoke from the inside. Connor pushed the door open and stepped in. He held back a gasp at the man’s appearance. Surely, he was the more unique mutant he’d seen so far. Though Gavin had greenish skin, this man’s skin was blue along with slightly darker blue hair and fur, from what he could tell, sticking out from the man’s sleeves. He had a slightly annoyed expression on his face. 

“You must be Connor. Sit,” he spoke, or rather, ordered. Connor was right about him seeming to be irritable, but he didn’t seem to completely dislike him. Mr. Anderson put down the papers he was holding neatly on his disarrayed desk. He stared at Connor over his rounded glasses, as if trying to analyze him. Connor, in return, felt intimidated by his gaze. 

“Mr. Manfred didn’t mention much about you. An educator, huh? Seems you impressed the old man, but I'll be the judge of that,” Mr. Anderson told him, voice firm as he spoke. Connor wasn’t sure how close the two older men were and he didn’t want to assume anything. Mr. Manfred, based on what Connor felt and noticed, was a good man, but maybe they were close friends and they just bantered like this all the time. He wondered if this man always seemed so cross.

 

“I found your file, seems like you dropped out of a four-year college plan. We’ll have your credits transferred, but you’ll need to earn the rest to finish your bachelor’s degree.” Mr. Anderson placed a packet in front of him to fill out along with a pen. This felt like deja vu to Connor, except he believed he was safer here than in a public college amongst humans. He never wanted to think of it that way, but there was no denying that that was becoming truer by the day.

“This is a safe haven for us mutants, we don’t require credentials. Just include your age and full name.” While Mr. Anderson spoke, Connor’s mind wandered to this man’s abilities. Since he’d been at the institute, all he wanted to do was find out what all the other mutants’ powers were. 

Connor nodded in acknowledgement as he looked down at the papers and began working on them. He answered the questions as best as he could. The thought of mutants who looked non-human trying to get through school, attempting to blend in and unable to due to their appearance, suddenly ran through his mind and hurt him deeply. Connor had always been sensitive to other's feelings over his own. He couldn't imagine how that would feel, being ridiculed for his appearance on top of having powers. Perhaps Mr. Anderson had gone through something like that.

Connor soon handed the papers over so that Mr. Anderson could check them over. It didn’t take long, he seemed to only make sure that all of the questions were answered so that he could get back to what he had been working on. 

"Why an educator?" Mr. Anderson asked out of the blue. The question caught Connor off guard; he hadn't been expecting the man to question him about it. Connor didn't know for sure himself. He supposed he was inspired by Rose and Mr. Manfred and their need to help their own kind. He explained this to Mr. Anderson, whose eyes seemed to soften slightly at his words. 

"I never knew what I wanted to be growing up,” Connor added, “so this is a big decision for me. Also, I appreciate you taking the time to help me," he explained. Mr. Anderson watched him for a while, like he was recalling something. An old memory, perhaps.

“You sound a lot like Mr. Manfred. He was in politics for a while, trying to advocate for mutant rights. He served as a senator for a few years before… things changed,” Mr. Anderson spoke, adjusting the glasses on his face. He didn’t mention what things exactly, but Connor could guess what he meant. “I’ll finish up here and you should be able to start classes by the end of the week. In the meantime, Mr. Manfred mentioned you had a lot of questions. He would like to see you in his studio.” And with that, Connor was on a new mission, trying to find this so called studio. He wasn’t sure what was meant by studio, but he was intrigued. 

Connor found himself wandering the halls as he made his way to the studio with directions from Mr. Anderson. Seemed Mr. Manfred was teaching and he wanted Connor to sit in for a while. Connor figured they would continue talking about their powers. He had so many questions already. He soon walked up on the studio and opened the doors quietly, not wanting to disturb the students. 

Mr. Manfred was in the front of the room, working on a canvas. Connor found a seat in the back behind an empty easel and watched quietly as Mr. Manfred continued his painting. All of the students in the room were following his direction, some well and some not. 

On his palette, Mr. Manfred had a few dark pigmented blues, soft oranges and bright red. Connor glanced at the canvas and was in awe of what he saw. The man’s painting was magnificent. Connor glanced around, seeing the other completed craftsmanship that was displayed around the room. Then it hit him; those beautiful portraits decorating the halls of the institute were made by Mr. Manfred himself. 

“And with that, the sunset is complete,” Mr. Manfred said and placed the palette down just as the bell rang. The students scrambled to gather their belongings. Connor felt different waves of energy from the mutants around him. He felt a sharp pain in his head, suddenly. It was only for a brief moment, but he thought he had heard someone saying something. Connor shook his head, not sure if he should bring it up with Mr. Manfred or not.

“Leave your assignments where they are, I’ll be grading them today. You’re all dismissed,” the professor announced. The students spoke their goodbyes as they left the room to head to their next class. 

Once the classroom was empty, Connor stood up. “I wasn’t aware you had painted all those pictures. That's amazing, Mr. Manfred,” he spoke as he approached his desk, gesturing to the paintings around the studio. The man smiled in response. 

“Thank you. I teach basic painting and advanced. This is my basics class,” Mr. Manfred replied. “We didn’t get to continue our conversation yesterday. Hank told me you filled out your paperwork; that’s good.” Hewheeled over to the student’s easels and began analyzing them. 

“Oh, by the way, those two… do they fight a lot?” Connor asked, thinking about Gavin, the green slimy looking man with the frog-like qualities. He wondered if the man had been born like that. It immediately made his face turn to disgust at the thought, though he still felt bad about the man having to grow up like that. Mr. Manfred’s laughter broke through his thoughts. Seemed like he didn’t take their fighting seriously at all. 

“All the time! My boys are always the ones to break them up. Gavin is little son of a bitch though. He likes starting things with the mutants,” he said, glancing at Connor over his shoulder.

“And… you just let them fight? What if he hurts someone, or worse?” Connor asked in concern. He was sure that some of the mutants wouldn’t know how to defend themselves or would probably hurt him in self defense. He didn’t quite get why Mr. Manfred was okay with this. Connor scratched his head, still confused about the whole thing. 

“Gavin doesn't bother the other mutants. It seems he only has a thing for Collin and his brother,” Mr. Manfred said. That surprised Connor the most. “The boys don’t see him that way and Gavin can’t or won't accept that. Seems he doesn’t like rejection. He’s stubborn. I’ve told him numerous times to leave them alone, but he won’t. He hasn’t done anything to the point where I’d have no choice but to kick him out though… yet.”

 

Connor shook his head, he supposed Gavin had to learn things the hard way. 

“You looked a bit worried when I glanced at you during the class. What’s on your mind?” Mr. Manfred asked as he flipped a canvas around to place a grade on it. 

“I… thought I heard someone’s voice in my mind… other than yours,” he explained as he held his head, a sudden headache starting up. He had always hated headaches, they completely ruined whatever he had planned for the day. Mr. Manfred turned to face him; he didn’t have his usual smile on his face. 

“It sounds like your abilities might be evolving. I've been losing the power to read minds with age. Be careful when trying to use that, it’s powerful. You don’t want to give yourself an aneurysm,” he explained firmly, a very serious tone in his voice. “It is imperative that you learn to control your powers before you use new ones.” 

Connor’s eyes widened, he hadn’t expected it to get that serious. “Yes, sir,” he answered. An aneurysm, Connor thought. Did Mr. Manfred know someone who hurt themselves trying to push their limits before? Before Connor could dwell on that, he suddenly jumped, startled at the sound of the door behind him being forced open. He and Mr. Manfred turned at the same time. 

“You want to explain to me why my brother is in solitary, Mr. Manfred?” the man spoke as he approached them with a deep scowl on his face. For a second, Connor was confused, thinking he was seeing Collin, but then took in subtle differences, such as his eye color and build. This man had blue eyes where Collin's had been brown and he was stockier, strong. He didn’t even acknowledge Connor standing there. 

Mr. Manfred shook his head. “One day, you youngsters will learn to knock,” he replied. “Your brother is in solitary for chopping off Gavin’s tongue. I told you that it’s forbidden to use your abilities on other students. I’ll get Markus to get him out, but you two know better.” The man Mr. Manfred was talking to didn’t look at all pleased, even after he heard his brother would be getting out. He turned away with a scowl and his eyes met Connor’s briefly. Those striking sapphire eyes seemed to bore a hole right through him. 

Connor’s mouth fell open as a small gasp left his throat. He didn’t even have it in him to look away, caught until only the back of the man's short brown hair could be seen as he yanked open the door. How could one’s eyes have such a big effect on him? Mr. Manfred didn’t notice, or rather, Connor hoped he didn’t. He hadn’t commented on it, so that was a good sign. Connor turned back to Mr. Manfred when he heard him sigh. The door closed roughly, but not enough to be considered a slam.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s overprotective of his brother. Rightfully so. They’ve been through a lot.” Mr. Manfred wheeled over to him, giving him a pat on the back. “I hate to cut our conversation short again, but I have a feeling there’s going to be a ruckus in solitary. Roam the halls, make some friends, and we’ll have a formal meeting tomorrow with the other professors here.” 

Connor gave him a smile. His kindness was a little overwhelming because he wasn’t used to it, but it was refreshing. He felt like he knew this man because of how much they had in common and already felt like he could trust him. Perhaps he’d be able to come to him if he had any issues with anyone at the institute. 

Connor followed Mr. Manfred out into the hall then said a small goodbye and waved him off. As he watched the professor head down the hall towards solitary, he couldn't help but think of that stare from earlier, the way Collin's brother had stopped him with just a glance. He wondered if it was some kind of power; it was definitely unnatural, intimidating. He wanted to know more--about him, about Collin, about everyone really--so he figured the best way to start would be to find out his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RK869 Blog [rk-869](https://rk-869.tumblr.com/)  
> A very very special thanks to GreenDevilSam for her help! It wouldn't be possible without you, thank you so much ❤︎

**Author's Note:**

> RK869 Blog [rk-869](https://rk-869.tumblr.com/)  
> A very very special thanks to GreenDevilSam for her help! It wouldn't be possible without you, thank you so much ❤︎


End file.
